Smart city race goes glam with Archita as brand ambassador!

After getting maximum likes in Facebook’s Bhubaneswar – Smart City page, BMC has a shot in the arm by appointing Odisha heartthrob Archita Sahu as the brand ambassador for the 2nd phase of the competition.

The popular Odia actress Archita Sahu is the first brand ambassador for Bhubaneswar Smart City Mission, the BMC hopes that her glamour will attract the youth to the smart city initiative.

Archita, a qualified MBA said that information technology should be used for the development of the city and appealed to the youths to join the smart city initiative by showing their support in Facebook and Twitter.

She has also changed the cover picture of her Facebook page with a message on the smart city challenge and appealed to all Bhubaneswar citizens to do the same.

There are plans by BMC to appoint four more popular figures as brand ambassador in future, the discussions are already on for choosing eminent and talented personalities. After they give assert their names will be announced, said BMC commissioner on Thursday. According to sources, actor and MP Sidhant Mohapatra and internationally renowned sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik have been approached by BMC.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) also launched the Smart City Labs (SCLs) yesterday, the main agenda of the SLCs will be to ask right questions, do quick research and conduct demonstration projects to test the feasibility of these ideas or build viable business plans.

Young students from colleges, universities and schools will work as volunteers and handle the lab.

The labs will be set up at different parts of the city where citizens would give their feedback and suggestions, through these SLCs, will involve residents to plan new projects in facilitating easier implementation and creating ownership for infrastructure in the city.

BMC plans to reach 8 lakh denizens by November 15.

The Centre is going to award the smart city funds to 12 to 13 cities out of 20 in the first phase. For this 20 cities are competing within themselves to gain maximum citizen initiative.

Bhubaneswar was chosen as one of the 20 cities in India as part of first phase of the smart city campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, a smart city being one which can be able to attract investments.

Smart City Mission will be an independent assessment organisation under the Smart City Challenge Mission of the Ministry of urban development and Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation of Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City.